Odds & ends

• No #MicroblogMondays post this week... I didn't get anything prepared in advance over the weekend, & yesterday & today were busier than I expected. Maybe next week...? 
• Yesterday (Monday), I was back in the city at the optometrist. Floaters & flashes are still there, but not as noticeable/intense as they were a few weeks ago.  Unless they suddenly get worse or something else happens that concerns me, I don't have to return for another 6-12 months. Yay! 
• I did have to call him this morning -- because, much to my dismay, my right pupil was STILL dilated from the drops he put in some 18 hours earlier (!).  He told me not to worry, it would return to normal, eventually. (He thought he might have used a stronger drop than he had previously.) It's not quite back to the same size as the left eye yet (almost, but not quite...), but it HAS returned to a much more normal size, thank goodness.  
• Last night was my library book club meeting to discuss "Little Fires Everywhere" (which I reviewed here). The discussion was... interesting. Lots of conversation along the lines of "what makes a mother?" and about motherhood and surrogacy and adoption and who the baby at the centre of the custody case should ultimately go to. I didn't get into my own story much, but I did throw out a few comments. 
• One other woman (older than me) said she didn't have children (I think it was by choice) and voiced the opinion that most people have children for themselves, for selfish reasons/their own benefit (& not necessarily the child's). Let's just say not many people agreed with her, lol.  
• Lots going on in the childless-not-by-choice world lately! :) To highlight just a few things I've seen & listened to recently: 
• I'm excited to share a new monthly podcast with you, created specifically by & for the childless-not-by-choice community!  Berenice Smith (Walk in Our Shoes), Sarah Lawrence (After the Storm) and Michael Hughes (Married and Childless) have teamed up to bring us The Full Stop podcast. The first episode is scheduled for release on June 9th, but you can listen right now to a 24-minute introduction. The podcast is too new to be listed on iTunes or other podcast apps yet, but with our support, it will soon be easier to find!  Meanwhile, you can sign up for the podcast newsletter and listen to the intro on the podcast website. 
• Another podcast worth listening to (as recommended by Gateway Women's Jody Day):  this episode of M's the Word, featuring Rebecca, who is living without children after loss & infertility. In this case, "M" refers to miscarriage, not motherhood. :)  I hope to find time to listen to other episodes soon! 
• A couple of years ago, Pamela at Silent Sorority teamed up with documentary filmmaker Irina Vodar to organize a forum in New York City called "The Cycle: Living a Taboo," at which she and other childless-not-by-choice advocates spoke about their experiences. 
• Luckily for us, their presentations were filmed, and are now being made available on YouTube as a series of short videos called "Infertility Tales."  You can find the available episodes here and subscribe to get notified of new ones as they're released. 
• Pamela is featured in Episode 2 (The Blogger/Author), and recently wrote here about her experience. 
• Irina's documentary about ARTs and the taboos surrounding them, "Anything You Lose," premiered at Fertility Fest in London earlier this month.
• Being in Canada, I was sadly unable to attend Fertility Fest... but through the miracle of technology, I was happy to watch "Fertility Fight Club" via Facebook. :)  Well worth viewing!    
• (Lots more, but I think that's enough for now...!)